Emergency room procedures exist for a reason. These procedures, which often include triage procedures, are meant to prevent significant pain and health complications for emergency room patients.
Why ER Workers May Not Follow Procedures
Despite working in an emergency room with established policies and procedures, staff members do not always follow procedures. For example, staff members may:
- Not have the right training. Staff members need to know about and understand workplace policies and procedures before they can follow them. It is the hospital’s responsibility to provide this training.
- Be overworked. An understaffed emergency room can create a situation where emergency room staff can’t follow policies and procedures. It is the hospital’s responsibility to make sure that staffing is sufficient to comply with all policies, procedures, and safety requirements.
- Be negligent. Sometimes policies and procedures are not followed because staff members fail to use reasonable care. They may be distracted by personal issues or simply unwilling to do the required work, for example.
Regardless of why the emergency room procedures were not followed, the devastating effects for emergency room patients may be the same. Your medical condition may have worsened, your hospital stay could be lengthened, your chances of a medical recovery may have decreased, or your loved one may have died due to a delay in emergency room care.
Your Next Step Is to Call an ER Delay-in-Care Lawyer
If you were hurt or your loved one died because emergency room staff failed to follow the hospital’s policies and procedures, your delay in care may have been caused by ER negligence, and you may have the right to recover damages.
Our experienced delayed medical care injury lawyers and law firm nurse can thoroughly investigate what happened. If you were hurt or your loved one died because emergency room staff failed to follow procedures, we will determine if the staff member, the hospital, or both are legally responsible for paying your damages.
Contact us any time—24/7/365—to find out more about your rights and to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation about your possible recovery.